Department Divisions

The City Attorney's Office is organized into 3 functional divisions:

Civil Advice

Criminal Prosecution

Risk Management

The City Attorney’s Office represents the interests of the public as a whole and does not represent individuals. The Office is strictly prohibited from providing legal advice and/or representation to citizens in any matter, whether it is a civil matter or a criminal one. Except for criminal matters where an attorney can be appointed for indigent persons, individuals must retain private counsel for legal assistance. For attorney referrals, private citizens can contact resources such as the King County Bar Association’s Lawyer Referral Service at (206) 267-7010 or go directly to the King County Bar Association’s website.

Please Note: The city's Internet pages and any locations accessible from them, as well as any links accessible through them, shall not be used to make litigation discovery or public disclosure requests. There will be no response to any electronic public disclosure request or litigation discovery.

The Advice section drafts legislation, negotiates City contracts, and provides legal advice to City officials and departments.

Civil Attorneys provide high quality legal advice to the City Council, City departments, and boards and commissions. They negotiate contracts in a variety of areas including intellectual property, labor, real estate and development, land use, and environmental law. They also attend council meetings, and in conjunction with other City departments, our Civil Attorneys draft ordinances that Council considers for passage as City law. Our Civil Attorneys conduct legal research for civil matters, and ensure consistency with state and federal law.

The Litigation section represents the City in civil law suits, employment matters, and provides legal counsel to City agencies.

The Litigation attorneys and paralegals comprise part of the Civil division of the City Attorney’s Office. They are committed to representing the City in civil law suits, such as property damage, employment matters, personal injury, etc.

The Prosecution Division prosecutes misdemeanors and traffic infractions occurring within the City and assists victims of crime.

Prosecutors and legal assistants comprise the Criminal division of the City Attorney’s Office. In conjunction with the Bellevue Police and Probation department, they help keep Bellevue safe. They are committed to protecting and enhancing the quality of life of Bellevue residents by holding people accountable for criminal behavior, protecting victims, and enforcing laws.

The Risk Division is responsible for workers' compensation, City insurance, and workplace safety.

It protects the City’s assets, and preserves and enhances the quality of life for City employees and the public through the administration of the City’s general self-insurance, workers' compensation, unemployment compensation, safety programs, and claims for damages.